Machine for drilling rivets



April 24, 1962 F. H. MERWIN MACHINE FOR DRILLING RIVETS Filed Sept. 16., 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet A1 JNVEN T012z N m M Ww F E e 0 Nw M A W my NNn @WN NW QN bhN mw H A mm. wm. n mwN D w-\ ,mmw wm. K L ,c Irlllllr mm NN mmm EN INN www \Q mmmmwmwm uw H www l mm .E @Y R bm@ www e mwmmmm @mn w W @NN hw www mmN .llhh l O e no o @N NAN LHIII mwN NN l NNN-N..NIN- .SN @w 0 N w um. Nm www@ mm o mm NNN QNNII .Il NMVNC mwN n nl @SN RN. mmm E mwN@ mwN QE @QN N. n www@ Nw Q Wmv @Q NQ@ E SQ mm EN au um. mwN E@ m51 mmv. lf rllll. G Awaill QM NNW. Q $13. uw NQ m. Q x wf. n1 N h F. H. MERWIN MACHINE FOR DRILLING RIVETS April 24, 1962 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 16, 1959 Sw mum l INVENTOR. Frede/"10k f2. Mem/vm ATTORN' .Y

April 24, 1962 F. H. MERWIN MACHINE FOR DRILLING RIVETS 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 16. 1959 w E N m T T .H

April 24, 1962 F, H. MERWIN 3,030,827

MACHINE FOR DRILLING RIVETS ll I I I 268// /4 237/267 2557 INVENToR. )Wrede/Lck H Mer wuz ATTORNEY;

8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR F. H. MERWIN A MACHINE FOR DRILLING RIVETS April 24, 1962 Filed Sept. 16, 1959 April 24, 1962 F. H. MERWIN MACHINE FOR DRILLING RIVETs 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Sept. 16, 1959 TTOEA/EXY April 24, 1962 F. H. MERWIN 3,030,827

MACHINE FOR DRILLING RIVETS Filed Sept. 16. 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 W zzz INVENTOR. Frede/'fkk fl. Me/'Wm TTOENEYS April 24, 1962 F. H. MERwIN 3,030,827

MACHINE FOR DRILLING RIVETS Filed Sept. 16, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR., Frede/Lck H. Me/"wlrz ATTORNE YS aten-t 3,030,327 Patented Apr. 24, 1962 3,030,827 MACEHNE FDR DRILLING RIVETS Frederick H. Merwin, Milford, Conn., assigner to Milford Rivet and Machine Company, Milford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Sept. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 840,473

l 2S Claims. (Cl. 77--22) This invention relates to machines for Vaxially drilling headed workpieces such as rivets, for instance.

This application is a continuation-impart of my copending application Serial No. 689,639, led Gctober ll, 1957.

In the manufacture of headed fasteners such as hollow or tubular rivets, pieces of solid stock of desired diameter are headed at one end to form blanks which are later chucked and drilled to produce a bore of desired diameter and depth so that the resulting wall will have the desired length and thickness. In chucking and holding the blanks, much dculty has been frequently encountered because radial force could not be applied to the shank of the rivet wi-th suicient intensity to hold it against being turned by the drill. This was because the clamping 'force when sufficient to prevent turning caused distortion of the Imaterial of the rivet shank so that as the hole is being drilled the thin wall of the shank remaining which is engaged by the clamping means is pressed onto the lands of the `drill and into the flutes causing the drill to be unduly worn and sometimes broken resulting in substantial loss of operating time and increased costs due to the necessity of replacing damaged drills. The more metal removed by the drilling in relation to shank diameter the greater the clamping 4force needed to hold the work and the more dincul-t the problem.

The present invention has obviated this serious difficulty in the manufacture of hollow rivets and like elongate articles having headed Shanks by merely supporting the shank in a suitable bushing and clamping the head therein by axial pressure, thus holding the article against being rotated by the drill without applying any radial pressure whatsoever on the head or the shank of the elongate article. In this way any radial distortion of the material of the article is avoided and an accurate drilling operation may be per-formed in the shank and even in the head of the article if desired. Since the clamping pressure applied is axial, much more pressure may be applied than if the pressure were radial and therefore more metal may be removed by the drilling per unit of time than was heretofore possible, and consequently increased production may be obtained by the use of the present invention.

According to the present invention, the elongate articles are held against rotating while being drilled by applying clamping force to the head of the elongate article by cooperating members, one engagingthe top of the head and the other engaging the shoulder formed between the head and the shank, the force being applied in a direction parallel to the axis of the article. It has been found that force so applied to the head of an article otherwise supported in a bushing is effective to hold the article against rotation even though the head is only slightly larger in diameter than the shank, the only requirement being that a perceptible shoulder exists for engagement with one of the cooperating clamping members. v

According to the present invention, in the form shown, the elongate articles -arev hopper fed to a transfer position where they are transferred to holes, preferably in bushings, in a vertical dial which on rotation carries the articles step-by-step to several stations. Power-operated drilling means are located at the front side of the dial to approach and `engage the articles held in the dial` Contrary to normal practice in dial feed machines, the articles,

2. according to the present invention, areiinslerted into the supporting holes from the backside of the dial, i.e. the side away from the drilling means. g

When the articles are inserted in the dial, they are carried from a loading station to -a drilling station by frotation of the dial. At the drilling station, a clamping rod having an end approximating in si'ze and shape the top of the head of the article is advanced to engage the article and clamp the head thereof between itself and the margin of the hole in the dial in which theharticle is carried, so that at the drilling station the article is held against turning by thrust-like force applied in an axial direction to the head of the article. ,y

The hole in the dial or the bushing therein 'extends clear through to the front side of the dial so that a `drill may engage the article to operate upon it. The thickness of the dial is sulicient to securely engage the shank of the article to be worked on and hold it steady. The hole receiving the article has a sliding lit with the shank of the article so that even the slightest shoulder between the head and the. shank will engage the margin of the l'lole and also so that the hole to be drilled will be truly centered in the shank.

ccording to the presentv invention, the article carrying dial is readily attachable and removable from t-he machine so that when a job has been finished the dial may be removed and a dial adapted for' the next job may be substituted for it.

The drilling means according to the present invention comprises a power driven carriage for advancing and retracting the drill, a chuck for a drill, `and means for rotating the drill. To facilitate the removal and replacement of the drill, means are provided for temporarily breaking the connection between the carriage and the power means driving it so that the carriage can be moved away yfrom the dial. As shown, the driving means for the carriage includes a cam cooperating with a follower on the carriage and the connection is broken by moving the follower out of the path of the cam. y Y

Preferably, two drill heads are provided, and these and the drill bits therein are arranged so that when one drill is drilling a shallow hole in an article the other drill is deepening the shallow hole in a previously drilled article, thereby substantially reducing the time required to drill a deep hole. After the holes are drilled, an ejector pin engages the article and pushes it towardV the back of the dial and out of the nesting aperture. This ejecting device is operated by a cam coordinated with those operating the drill uni-ts.

According to the present invention, inspecting or probing means are provided and as shown these arel associated with the ejecting device and are so shape'd and positioned that, at a station following a drilling station, if the' hole is not properly drilled or a piece of broken drilll refn'ains in the hole the probing pin will attempt tov eject the piece from the dial, and in one form of the inventin it may' do so. Preferably, however, should the probing pin ttenpt to eject the article from the dial at an inspection' station, the article will strike a device and operate it to stopI tlev machine.

Another feature of the machine of the present invention is lthe provi-sion of means for maintaining the articlesv in the nesting apertures again-st unintentional dislodgement between stations. This may, as shown, be in the lform of cam means engaging the tops of the heads of the elongate articles asl they travel from station to station to return the article to its position in the dial so as to be engaged by the clamping rods.

Still another feature v`of the invention resides in a to facilitate the boring of the headed ends of the rivets or the like.

According to this modification of the invention, a power driven drill, having a separate cooperatively operated rivet head clamping member, is disposed substantially parallel and spaced from the rivet head clamping rods for reciprocating movement toward and away from the dial in relation to the indexing thereof and the operation of the drills at the obverse side of the dial for drilling the headed ends of the elongate articles.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings- FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the present invention with parts broken away for convenience of illustration.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front view of a portion of the mechanism for operating the clamping rods.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end view, partly in section, of the drilling heads and inspecting mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, showing the drilling heads and the mechanism for moving them toward and from the work.

FIG. 5 is a front View of the parts shown in FIG. 4, with parts omitted for convenience of illustration.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary end view of a portion of the machine showing the mechanism for indexing the dial.

FIG. 7 is a transverse section taken on the line 7--7 of FIG. 8, with parts omitted for convenience of illustration.

FIG. 8 is a front elevation, partly in section, showing the dial, part of the feed mechanism, the clamping plungers, and the means for indexing the dial, with parts broken Iaway and in section for convenience of illustration.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view showing the dial, the `article transfer means, the clamping plungers, and the head drilling assembly, partially broken away and in section for convenience of illustration and shown on a somewhat larger scale than in FIG. l.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary detail View showing a workpiece being -held in place in a portion of the dial by the end of the rivet inserting rod.

FIG. 1l is a fragmentary transverse section of a portion of the machine approximately on line 11--11 of FIG. 1.

FIG. l2 is a fragmentary end view of a portion of the machine showing the means for driving the drill units.

FIG. 13 is a front elevation of the feed and transfer mechanism for the articles, with parts broken away and in section for convenience of illustration.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary plan view of a detail showing the mechanism for stopping the machine in case a hole is not drilled to desired depth or a broken drill is left in the hole.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary end view showing the dial and the inspection device of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 16-16 of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is an end elevation of an attachment forming a modification of the basic machine.

FIG. 18 is la plan view of the device illustrated in FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary end view, partially in section, of the rivet head clamping rods and head drilling assembly.

FIG. 20 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the article holding dial, head clamping rods and head drilling assembly.

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partially in section, of the rivet head drilling assembly.

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary View, in elevation, of the drive means for the rivet head drilling assembly.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference character A indicates generally a rivet drilling machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

The drilling machine A, illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 15, includes a frame B, a drive system C, a dial and dial support unit D, Ia dial indexing mechanism E, a work supply mechanism F, a work clamping mechanism G, a drilling unit H, and an inspection and ejection mechanism I.

Fl-ame The frame B has a horizontal bed 30 supported at its opposite ends on legs 31 and a pair of spaced, parallel, upstanding ribs 32, 33 secured to the bed 30, and coextensive therewith.

Drive System The drive system C as illustrated in FIGS. l and l2 includes a variable speed drive motor 34 mounted on one end of the frame B and a transfer shaft 35 supported in bearing blocks 36 carried by the ribs 32, 33, and bearing block 37 secured to the bed30. A pulley 38 is mounted on one end of the shaft 3S and is connected by a drive belt 39 to the drive motor 34. A second shaft 40 extends perpendicularly to the shaft 35 and is supported in bearing blocks 41 mounted in spaced relation on the frame bed 30. The shafts 40 and 35 are operatively connected by a bevel gear drive 42.

Dial and Support T herefor The dial and dial support unit D includes, in the ernbodiment illustrated (see FIGS. 1 and 8), a casting 43 `secured to the frame bed 30 adjacent one end thereof. A dial 44 is mounted on one end of a shaft 45 journaled in the casting 43 and is provided with a plurality of circumferentially equispaced bores 46 arranged circulaIly about the center thereof. A bushing 47 is positioned in each of the bores 46 and is flanged as at 48 to engage in a recess 49 formed at one end of the bores 46 to assist in retaining the bushing 48 in the dial 44. The bushing 48 has an axial bore 50 extending therethrough to receive a workpiece 51 therein.

As stated above, a feature of this invention is the provision of means for clamping the workpiece in a position for a drill operation Awithout applying radial pressure to the shank or other part of the elongate workpiece. Accordingly, as shown herein, after the rivet is placed in a bore 50 in the dial 44 and the dial 44 is moved to drilling position, -it is clamped by axial pressure applied to the head thereof by a work clamping mechanism G which is best illustrated in FIGS. 1, 8 and 9'.

The mechanism G includes, in the form shown, a cylindrical slide 52 mounted for longitudinal reciprocatory movement in a bearing 53 mounted in the casting 43 above the shaft 45. A clamping pin 54 is provided for engaging the workpiece 51 positioned in the dial 44 and extends between the end 55 of the slide 52 and the dial 44. The clamping pin 54 is supported in aligned relation with the slide 52 by means of an adapter block 56 secured to the slide 52 by a fastener 57. The clamping pin 54 may be of any suitable size or shape and the adapter block 56 would be formed to cooperate therewith. Minute adjustments of the position of the clamping pin 54 with respect to the workpiece 51 may be provided for when needed by means of an adjusting nut 58 threaded onto the clamping pin 54 and engaged against the adapter block 56. A set screw 59 locks the clamping pin 54 in the adapter block 56 in adjusted position therein.

The slide 52 is formed with an axial bore 60 opening through the end thereof opposite the clamping pin 54 for telescopically receiving the reduced end portion 61 of a connecting rod 62. The connecting rod 62 is supported for longitudinal sliding movement in a bearing 63 mounted in casting 43. In order to provide an adjustable resilient clamping pressure between the clamping pin 54 and the workpiece 51, the slide 52 and the reduced end portion 61 are connected for limited axial movement by a pin 64 projecting through the slide 52, the bore 60 and a longitudinal slot 65 formed in the reduced end portion 61 and through which the pin 64 extends. The connecting rod 62 is resiliently linked to the clamping pin 54 by means of a coil spring 66 which encompasses the reduced end portion 61 and engages against the end 67 of the slide 52 opposite the clamping pin 54. The opposite end of the spring 66 is adjustably connected to the reduced end portion 61 by means of a screw sleeve 63 threadably mounted on an enlarged threaded portion 69 formed on the reduced end portion 61 at the end thereof opposite the slot 65. The pin and slot connection between the slide 52 and the -reduced end portion 61 permits the spring 66 to form the entire driving connection between the slide 52 and the connecting rod 62.

The connecting rod 62 is connected to a drive mechanism by means of an enlarged bifurcated end portion 70 having a segment block 71 mounted therein for pivotal movement on a pivot pin 72 extending therethrough. A cam actuator member 73 is provided for reciprocating the connection rod 62 and is operatively associated therewith by means of a cam slot 74 in which the segment block 71 engages. The cam actuator member 73 is carried on a transverse shaft 75 journaled in bearings 76 carried by the ribs 32 and 33 respectively.

Means are provided for oscillating the shaft 75 and may include, as -illustrated in the preferred embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 2, a slotted shoe 77 secured to the end 73 of the shaft 35 and in which a yoke 79 slotted at S0 engages for sliding movement. A cam slot 81 formed in the outer face of the pulley 30 cooperates with a cam follower roller 82 carried on the yoke 79 to reciprocate the yoke 79 longitudinally. A rod 83 extends longitudinally from the yoke 79 toward the shaft 75 and has the end adjacent the shaft 75 threaded at 84 to receive adjustable stop nuts 05, 86 positioned thereon. The rod S3 is connected to the shaft 7S by means of a crank arm 87 carrying a pivoted sleeve 88 thereon through which the threaded end S4 of the rod 83 extends. The rod 83 is resiliently cushioned with respect to the crank arm 87 by means of a coil spring 89a encompassing the rod 83 and engaging the stop nuts 85 at one end and the pivot sleeve 83 at the other.

In the event that it is necessary to clamp the workpiece 51 in more than one position of the dial 44, a second clamping pin 54a, see FIG. 9, of identical construction and mounting to that of the clamping pin 54 is as shown positioned in laterally spaced parallel relation to the clamping pin 54. As the clamping pins 54, 54a arev brought into clamping Contact with the head S9 of the workpiece 51, axial pressures are brought to bear on the dial 44. To counteract the pressures against the dial 44 a backup plate 90 is positioned in engagement with the outer edge of the face of the dial 44 opposite the clamping pins 54, 54a. The backup plate 90 is mounted on the outer end of a bar 91 secured to the casting 43 by means of secu-ring elements 92.

Work Supply Mechanism The work supply mechanism F, best illustrated in FIGS. 9, 10, ll and 13, includes a pedestal 100 secured to the bed 30 adjacent the upstanding rib 32. A hopper, a fragment of which is shown at 101, serves as a reservoir for a plurality of workpieces 51 and may -be of any conventional construction capable of feeding the workpieces 51 into a vertical conveyor chute 102.

The vertical ccnveyer chute 102 has a slot 103 to receive the head 89 of the workpiece 51 and a slot 104 of narrower width than the slot 103 to permit the shank 105 of the workpiece 51 to extend therethrough. The vertical conveyer 102 supports the workpieces 51 in aligned relation with each head 89 resting on head 89 lying therebelow.

The vertical conveyer 102 is secured to the pedestal by securing elements 106. A dovetail slide block 107 is mounted on the pedestal 100 for transverse horizontal sliding movement and is provided with a cam follower -roller 108 at one end engaging an internal cam face 109 of a cam wheel 110 secured to the shaft 40. The slide block 107 is biased toward the cam face 109 and the conveye-r 102 by means of a spring 111 which extends between the pedestal 100 and a spring pin 112 carried by the slide block 107. A transfer bar 113 is secured to the slide block 107 so as to extend beneath the conveyer 102.

The transfer bar 113 has a longitudinally extending horizontal slot 114 opening through the upper surface thereof and arranged in aligned relation to the slot 103 to permit the heads 89 of the workpieces 51 to slide therein. A second slot 115 intersects the slot 114 at the outer end thereof with its axis extending perpendicularly thereto. The second slot 115, in the retracted position of the transfer bar 113, is aligned with the slot 104 in the conveyer 102, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and ll.

A workpiece 51 engages in the slots 114, 115 as illustrated in FIG. 13, and moves with the transfer bar 2113 to a position laterally offset with relation to the vertical conveyer 102. The upper surface of the transfer bar 113 retains the remaining workpieces 51 in t-he vertical conveyer 102 during the horizontal reciprocation of the transfer bar 113.

The workpieces 51 are removed from the transfer bar 113 by a pair of pickup fingers 116, 117 which are pivotally mounted at 118 to a pickup finger slide block 119. The slide block 119 is supported for vertical sliding movement in a bearing 120 mounted on the pedestal 100. The pickup fingers 116, 117 are biased into engagement with each other by means of a coil spring 121 extending therebetween. The pickup fingers 116 and 117 are recessed adjacent their lower end to provide a pickup socket 122. An inverted V-block 123 is carried by the transfer bar 113 in underlying relation to the slot 115 to support the shank 105 of the workpiece 51 as it is engaged by the pickup socket 122 of the pickup lingers 116, 117.

A bell crank 12dI is pivotally mounted on the pedestal 100 and has a cam follower roller 125 mounted on one end thereof engaging a cam 126 carried by the cam wheel 110. The opposite end of the bell crank 124 is secured to the upper end of the slide 119 through an adjustable eccentric connection 127 to permit the adjustment of the sliding lim-its of the slide block 119; A coil spring 128 extends between the bell crank 124 and the pedestal 100 to normally urge the slide block 119 toward the transfer bar 113 and the cam follower roller 125 toward the cam 126.

The pattern of the cam 126 acting on the cam follower roller is such that the slide block 119 moves downwardly to cause the pickup ngers 116, 117 to grasp the shank 105 of a workpiece 51 in the socket 122 and then move upwardly a distance sufficient to clear the shank 105 `from the slot 115 to permit the transfer bar 113 to be moved to the retracted position illustrated in FIG. l1 by the cam face 109.

After the transfer bar 113 is removed from beneath the pickup fingers 116, 117, they are moved downwardly to align the workpiece 51 with one of the `bores 50. A work insertion plunger 129 is mounted for longitudinal reciprocation in the casting 43 and is provided on one end with a workengaging pin 130 adjustably secured thereto. A coil spring 131 extends between the casting 43 and a stop 132 carried by the plunger 129 to normally spring urge the plunger 129 in a direction to engage the head 89 of the workpiece 51 held in the socket 122 of the pickup fingers 116, 117.

A rocker arm 133 is pivotally mounted on the pedestal 100 and engages at one end a cam 134 carried by the shaft 40. The opposite end 135 of the rocker arm 133 engages a collar 136 adjustably mounted on the plunger 129 to retract the plunger 129 out of engagement with the workpiece 51. A coil spring 137 normally biases the rocker arm 133 into operative engagement with the cam 134.

Thus it can be seen that the work-engaging pin 130 I is moved into workpiece 51 work-engaging position by the spring 131 and is retracted by the rocker arm 133. The timing of the cam 134 is such that the work-engaging 130 is released by the rocker arm 133 to resiliently engage the workpiece 51 when the pickup fingers 116, 117 have positioned the workpiece 51 in aligned relation to one of the bores of the bushings 47. The workengaging pin presses the workpiece 51 into the bore 50 until the head 89 engages the pickup fingers 116, 117. At this time the cam 126 will move the pickup lingers 116, 117 upwardly out of engagement with the workpiece 51 and the plunger 129 will complete the insertion of the workpiece 51 in the bushing 47.

Indexing M eclzanism A dial indexing mechanism E, in the form as best illustrated in FIGS. 1, 6, 7 and 8 includes an index disk 140 secured to the end portion of the shaft 45 opposite the dial 44. The disk has a plurality of index bores 141 equal in number to the bores 46 in the dial 44 and arranged in circumferential equispaced relation. An index lock housing 142 is journaled on a cylindrical boss 143 extending from the end of the casting 43 opposite the dial 44.

A lug 144 integrally formed on the casting 43 extends upwardly from the plane of the boss 143. The housing 142 is provided with a pair of ears 145 engaging over opposite sides of the lug 144 and slightly spaced therefrom. A pair of set screws 146 are threaded through the ears engaging opposite sides of the lug 144 to adjust the housing 142 with respect to the casting 43. Lock nuts 147 are mounted on the set screws 146 to secure them in adjusted position with relation to the housing 142. Cap screws 148 extend through slightly oversize holes in the housing 142 and into the casting 43 to positively lock the housing 142 to the casting 43 in adjusted position.

A pin 149 mounted for sliding movement in a bushing 150 in the housing 142 is formed hollow and is urged toward the index disk by a coil spring 151 telescoped therein and engaging at its opposite end a plate 152. The pin 149 has the forward end thereof beveled as at 153 to engage in the outwardly beveled ends 154 of the bores 141 in the disk 140. The pin 149 by engaging in the bore 141 locks the disk 140 in position so that the dial 44 is aligned with the work supply mechanism F and the work clamping mechanism G.

An index rocker arm 155 is journaled on a hub 156 extending longitudinally from the disk 140 and is secured thereon by a nut 157 and washer 158 engaged over the end of the shaft 45. The shaft 45 has an axial bore 159 extending inwardly from the end thereof supporting the disk 140 and having a coil spring 160 mounted therein. A pin 161 is slidably arranged in the bore 159 and is urged by the spring in a direction away from the dial 44. A pin 162 is slidably arranged in the outer end portion of the rocker arm 155 in aligned relation to the bores 141. A link 163 is pivoted at 164 to a bifurcated ear 165 yformed on the index rocker arm 155. The end 166 of the link 163 engages against the pin 161 so that the spring 160 will normally urge the pin 162 through the rocker arm 155. The pin 162 engages through a selected one of the bores 141, pressing the pin 149 outwardly therefrom, unlocking the disk 140 from the housing 142 and simultaneously locking the rocker arm 155 to the disk 140 so that movement of the rocker arm 155 will cause a corresponding movement of the disk 140 and consequently of the dial 44.

A link 167 pivoted at 168 to the bed 30 carries a cam follower roller 169 on its outer end. A face cam 170 secured to the terminal end of the shaft 40 in engagement with the cam follower roller 169 moves the link 167 as desired. The end of the link 167 opposite the follower 169 has an adjustable contact screw 171 for engagement with the end 166 of the link 163. A lock nut 172 secures the adjustable contact screw 171 in locked relation to the link 167. Oscillating movement of the link 167 about its pivot 168 will move the link 163 and positively retract the pin 162 from the disk 140.

A connecting rod 173 has a yoke 174 formed adjacent one end thereof and engaging in a slotted shoe 175 secured to the shaft 40. A cam 176 engages a cam follower roller 177 journaled on the connecting rod 173 in a manner as illustrated in FIG. 6. The opposite end of the connecting rod 173 has a pivot pin 178 journaled therein for engagement with the index rocker arm 155. The pin 178 can be readily adjusted by means of a screw 179 to control the oscillation arc of the rocker arm 155.

The connecting rod 173 as shown has a turnbuckle 180 for adjusting the length thereof. A spring 181 extends from the bearing 41 to the pivot pin 178 for normally biasing the connecting rod 173 into contact with the cam 176 to effect the desired operation. The cam 176 is constructed to oscillate the index rocker arm 155 from one bore 141 to the next adjacent bore 141 and then successively move the disk 140 by moving one bore 141 at a time. As each step-by-step movement of the rocker arm 155 is completed and the pin 162 retracted, the locking pin 149 moves forward to lock the indexing disk 140 in indexed position while the rocker arm moves in a reverse direction to engage the next preceding bore 141. The adjusting bolts 146 provide a means whereby the locking pin 149 can be adjusted to assist in aligning the dial 44 with the work supply mechanism F and the work clamping mechanism G.

Drill In accordance with another feature of the invention the workpieces 51 while clamped in the dial 44 are axially drilled by means of the drilling unit H positioned in general axial alignment with the dial 44 and includes a support housing 182, see FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5, mounted on the bed 30 between the ribs 32 and 33. The housing 182 as shown has a drill spindle holder 183 longitudinally slidably mounted therein on bearings 185. A drill spindle 186 journaled in the drill spindle holder on bearings 187, 188 is secured in the drill spindle holder 183 by means of retainer rings 189, 190 respectively.

A pulley 191 secured to the rear end of the drill spindle 186 provides means for rotating the spindle 186. A chuck 192 is secured to the drill spindle 186 by means of an elongate bolt 193 and a nut 194 and carries a drill 195 chucked therein.

A second drill 195:1 may be provided, as illustrated in the drawings, when drilling is desired at more than one station of the dial 44 and in this case the drill 195a is carried in an identical mechanism to that supporting the drill 195 in laterally spaced parallel relation thereto.

To provide means for reciprocating the drill Spindle holder 183 and in turn the drills 195, 195a, a bracket 202 is pivotally mounted on a pin 203 threaded into the drill spindle holder 183. A second pin 204 engages through a slot 205 in the lower end of the bracket 202 to secure the bracket 202 rmly to the drill spindle holder 183. The bracket 202 is locked in position by the screws 203, 204 which are tightened by turning the handles 206 thereon. The bracket 202 is provided with a cam follower roller 207 engaging against one of a pair of cams 208 and 209 carried by the shaft 35. Rotation of the cams 208 and 209 respectively causes drill spindle holder 183 to longitudinally reciprocate in the housing 182.

A coil spring 210 extends from the bed 30 to each of the drill spindle holders 183 to maintain the cam follower roller 207 in engagement with the cams 208 and 209 respectively. The brackets 202 are each provided with a handle 212 by means of which the brackets can be swung on their pivot pins 203 to disengage the cam follower rollers 2117 from the cams 2tlg, 209 so that the chuck 192 can be quickly backed away from the dial 44 to permit the drills 195, 19551 to be replaced when broken.

Drive motors 213 and 214, see FIG. 12, are connected respectively to the pulleys 191, by means of drive belts 21S and 216. The length of the drive belts 215, 216 is such that reciprocating movement of the pulleys 191 may occur without binding or disengagement thereof.

Inspection, Ejection Mechanism An inspection and ejection mechanism I includes, in the embodiment shown, a longitudinally slidable shaft 217, see FlGS. 3, 4 and 5, supported in the support housing 182. The shaft 217 is positioned substantially beneath the drill spindle holders 183 in parallel relation thereto. A bracket 218 is secured to the end of the shaft 217 opposite the dial 44 and carries a cam follower roller 219 thereon engaging a earn 22d mounted on the shaft 35 between the cams 2118, 209. A coil spring 221 extends from the bracket 218 to the bed 341 and normally biases the shaft 217 in a direction to maintain the cam follower roller 219 in engagement with the cam 220.

A plate 222 is secured to the end of the shaft 217 opposite the bracket 21S. A guide pin 223 is mounted on the plate 222 and extends in parallel relation to the shaft 217 into a bore 224 to hold the plate 222 against rotation about the shaft 217. The plate 222 is provided with a nger 225 extending upwardly between the chuck 192 and carrying an inspection pin 226 thereon. A second linger l227 extends outwardly from the plate 222 on the opposite side of the chuck 192 from the finger 225 and carries a second inspection pin 22S thereon. A third linger 229 extends outwardly from the plate 222 below the linger 227 and carries an ejection pin 230 thereon.

The inspection pin 226 is arranged in aligned relation to a bore Si) in the dial 44 lying between the bores 511 aligned with the drills 195, 195a. The inspection pin 22S is aligned with a bore Sil adjacent the bore Sil aligned with the drill 195e, and the ejection pin 2313 is aligned with the bore Sil next to the bore 50 aligned with the inspection pin 22S. Movement of the plate 222 toward the dial 44 will cause the inspection pins 226, 228 to engage in the bores drilled by the respective drills 195, 195e and the ejection pin 230 to engage in the bore of the workpiece 51 already completed. The length of the ejection pin 230 is such that the workpiece 51 engaged thereby will be moved out of the bushing 47, completing the operation of the drilling machine A thereon.

In the event that one of the drills 195, 195a become broken and lodged in one of the workpieces S1, or for any reason the drillingr operation is not completed, the inspection pins 226, 228 on moving toward the dial 44 will engage the workpiece S1 and press it out of the bore 51D in the bushing 47. The workpiece 51 will engage the rocker arm 231 pivotally carried on a bracket 232 mounted on the rib 33 and move it against the tension of a spring 233 shown in FIG. 14. The opposite end of the rocker arm 231 is positioned to engage a microswitch 234 carried by the bracket 232 to automatically interrupt the power of the drilling machine A to permit the neces-'- sary corrections to be made.

Cumming Attachment Referring now to FIGS. 17 and 18, a camming attachment K is illustrated` as a modied form of the invention. In drilling workpieces 51 to relatively great length, vibration tends to partially dislodge the workpieces 51 from the bores 51) between the clamping pins 54, 54a sufciently so as to engage the clamping pins 511, 54a before becoming aligned therewith.

The camming attachment K comprises a plate 235 mounted to the bed 30 and having a plurality of carnming surfaces 236 arranged between the bores 50 when aligned with the clamping pins 54, 54a so as to engage 1@ the heads 89 of the workpieces 51 and cam them back into the bushings 47 as they move from one indexed position to the next in the sequential operation of the drilling machine A. Obviously the camming attachment K is attached to the drilling machine A whenever it is found to be imperative.

ln the operation ofthe invention a workpiece 51 is positioned in a bushing 47 individually by means of the conveyer 102, transfer bar 113, pickup fingers 116, 117 and the plunger 129. The dial 44 is then indexed one station and the drill is moved by the cam 2119 a suicient distance to partially drill the desired bore in the workpiece 51. Simultaneously another workpiece 51 is inserted by the plunger 129 in the next adjacent bushing 47. The dial 44 is then indexed again and the inspection pin 226 is engaged in the partially drilled bore, checking it for depth and foreign matter, while simultaneously the previously described drilling, lilling operations are again carried out. The dial 44 is again indexed and the drill 195e completes the drilling of the bore to the desired depth in the workpiece 51. The previously described inspection, drilling and filling operations again take place simultaneously therewith.

Upon the next indexing of the dial 44 the inspection pin 228 inspects the completed bore in the workpiece S1 along with the simultaneous drilling, inspection and filling steps previously described. The ejection pin 230 also carried on the plate 222 simultaneously is ejecting the drilled and inspected workpieces 51 at the last station in the indexing operation. The clamping pins 54, Sle are moved into engagement with the head S9 of the workpieces 51 to secure the workpieces S1 during the drilling operation and prevent rotation thereof.

lt should be understood that where a threaded bore is desired in the workpiece 51, the drill 195:1 can be replaced with a tap (not shown) or a tap can be added as another station carried by the support housing 182.

Rivet Head Drilling Assembly Referring now to FIGS. l, 9, ll, 19 and 20 through 22, a drilling assembly L for boring the headed ends of workpieces 51 is shown as a modification of the invention. It is often necessary that elongate headed articles, such as rivets or the like, be bored at their headed end alone or at both their head and shank ends, such operations being preferably accomplished during a single pass through the drilling machine, thereby reducing the time required for their manufacture and eliminating unnecessary handling. n

The drilling assembly L, which as shown is positioned at the reverse side of dial 44 and is adapted to drill the headed ends of the articles at one station during the indexing of the dial, includes a support housing 237, that forms part of casting 43 and is positioned to the side of and parallel work-clamping means G. The housing 237, as shown most clearly in FlG. 21, has a drill spindle holder 238 longitudinally slidably mounted therein on bearings 239. A tubular drill spindle 2410 journaled in the drill spindle holder 233 on bearings 241 and '242 is secured in the drill spindle holder by means of an elongate chuck mounting member 2413 extending through the spindle and keyed thereto. The chuck mounting member 243 is provided at one end with a shoulder 244 adapted to engage the bearing 241 whereby the spindle is secured against movement through spindle holder.y 233 and is formed at its opposite end with threads adapted to receive locking nuts 245 for locking the spindle in the spindle holder.

A pulley 246 secured to the rear end of the drill spindle 246 provides means for rotating the spindle. A chuck 247 is secured to the drill spindle 246 at its opposite end, by means of the engagement of a bolt 248 in an axially formed bore 249 provided in the chuck mounting member 243, and carries a drill 250.

In order to provide means for reciprocating the drill spindle holder 238 and in turn the drill 250, a bracket 251 having a dovetail slot 252 therein is mounted on the upstanding rib 33 secured to the machine bed 30. An operating slide 253 is slidably engaged in dovetail slot 252 for reciprocation therein and has an extension 253a connected to the end 238a of drill spindle holder 238 for imparting reciprocating movement thereto. The slide 253 is connected through a linkage 254 of adjustable length to a dog 255 having a cam follower 256 in engagement with the inner cam face 257 of a cam 258 carried by the shaft 35. It will be seen that rotation of shaft 35 imparts movement to slide 253 through the cam 258, thereby reciprocating the drill spindle holder 238 toward and away from dial 44.

The housing 237 of drill assembly L is provided with a pair of outwardly projecting straps 259, secured thereto by bolts 25911, and adapted to slidably carry a rod 26t). The rod 260 is formed with an integral plate 261 extending normal thereto, the plate being adapted to removably carry a head clamping member 262. The head clamping member 262, which is secured to plate 261 through bolts 263 and is adapted to be removed therefrom for the substitution of clamping members as required, is formed with a notch 264 through which drill 250 may extend during the drilling of the headed end of a workpiece 51 while the clamp is retaining the workpiece in position in dial 44. A rod 265 is connected to plate 261 and extends slidably through a bore 266 in slide extension 253a. The rod 265 carries a coil spring 267 which normally biases slide extension 253a and head clamping member 262 in opposite directions. The end of rod 265 which is disposed outwardly of the slide extension 253:1 is threaded to receive adjusting nuts 268 for adjusting the tension of spring 267. It should here be noted that coil spring 267 also functions to maintain follower 256 in close engagement with inner cam face 257 of cam 258.

A drive motor 269 is connected to the pulley 246 by means of a drive belt 270 for rotating the spindle 240, whereby the drill is operated. The drive belt 270 is, as was described with the drilling unit H, of such a length that reciprocating movement of the pulley 246 may occur without binding or disengagement thereof.

In the operation of drilling assembly L, after a workpiece 51 has been inserted in the dial 44 and the dial is indexed to carry the workpiece past the shank drilling stations as aforedescribed, the shaft 35 rotates cam 258 to operate slide 253 and shift drill spindle holder 238 toward the dial into drilling position. As the slide is shifted to drilling position and the drill 250 engages the headed end of the workpiece 51, the spring 267 on rod 265 is compressed to force the head clamping member 262 into engagement with the head of the workpiece whereby the workpiece is clamped in the dial. Continued movement of the slide increases the tension of spring 267 and the pressure applied by the clamping member 262 on the head of the workpiece so that the workpiece cannot be moved during the drilling operation. Thereafter, as the cam is continued to be rotated by shaft 35 the slide 253 is shifted away from dial 44 to early the drill 250 out of engagement with the workpiece 51 and release the clamping pressure of member 262. The dial 44 is then indexed to shift the workpiece to an ejecting station. It should here be noted that the operation of drilling assembly L may be so timed that the headed end of the workpiece is drilled at the ejecting station just prior to the ejection of the workpiece from the dial.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

l. A machine for drilling elongate cylindrical workpieces having a shank and a head at one end thereof comprising a work-supporting dial having a plurality of 12 arcuately spaced work-nesting apertures extending therethrough and having a sliding lit with the shank of said workpieces; ydrilling means located at the obverse side of the dial; means for feeding workpieces one at a time to a loading station located at the reverse side of the dial; means for transferring a workpiece from the loading station longitudinally into a nesting aperture in the dial so that the shank of the workpiece lies in said aperture and the head thereof projects from the reverse side of the aperture; means for advancing the dial step-by-step to carry the workpieces to a work station; and means at said work station for clamping the workpiece against rotation in the nesting aperture, said means consisting solely of cooperating parts engaging between them the top and the underside of the head of the workpiece, and means including resilient means for producing relative movement between said cooperating parts parallel to the axis of the workpiece to apply yielding gripping pressure to the head solely in a direction parallel to the axis of the workpiece to hold the latter against turning in the dial.

2. The drilling machine as defined in claim l, in which the cooperating parts engaging the head of the workpiece include a rod the end of which directly engages the top of the head, and the margin of the nesting aperture in which the workpiece is supported engaging the underside of the head.

3. The drilling machine as deiined in claim l, in which the drilling means are advanced and retracted relative to the workpiece by power-operated means including a cam and follower, and there are manually operated means for moving the follower out of the path of the cam to permit further retraction of the drilling means and facilitate the removal and replacement of drill bits.

4. The drilling machine as deiined in claim l, in which at the obverse side of the dial there are sensing means engageable with the drilled workpiece to determine whether the hole therein is drilled to desired depth and is free of obstructions, said sensing means applying a force to eject an undrilled or defectively drilled workpiece from its nesting aperture.

5. The drilling machine as defined in claim 4, in which there are means positioned to be engaged by a workpiece moving under force applied `by said sensing means for stopping the operation of the drilling machine.

6. The drilling machine as deiined in claim 5, wherein the means for stopping the operation of the machine includes an electric switch.

7. The drilling machine as defined in claim 1, in which there are ejecting means at the obverse side of the dial to remove a drilled workpiece from the dial at an unloading station.

8. The drilling machine as deiined in claim 4, in which there are ejecting means movable with said sensing means to remove a drilled workpiece from the dial at an unloading station.

9. The drilling machine as defined in claim 2, in which there is an adjustable spring connected to the rod which when compressed causes the rod to apply a predetermined yielding force to the top of the head of the workpiece.

l0. The drilling machine as defined in claim 2, in which the rod comprises two telescoping parts and there is a compression spring between them whereby the two parts may move relatively, one part having a tip engaging the head of the workpiece and a power-operated cam engaging the other part.

ll. The drilling machine as defined in claim 2, in which the dial is mounted on the end of a shaft and there are means engaging the dial on its obverse face adjacent the marginal portion thereof to counteract the force transmitted to the dial by said rod in clamping the workpiece against rotation in the dial.

l2. The drilling machine as defined in claim l, in which there are a plurality of work stations around the dial and the `drilling means comprises a plurality of separately driven drill spindles in front of their respective work stations, and the work-clamping means comprises separate cooperating clamping means, one for each drill spindle and axially aligned therewith, and there are separate means for advancing and retracting each drill spindle individually relative to the workpiece.

13. The drilling machine `as defined in claim l2, in which there are separate means for operating each cooperating clamping means.

14. The drilling machine as defined in claim l2, in which the drilling spindles are spaced leaving at least one work nest between adjacent drilling spindles and there are inspection probes one for probing the hole drilled by each drill, and means for advancing and retracting said probes operating coordinately with said drilling spindles.

l5. The drilling machine as defined in claim 14, in which an ejector pin is operated coordinately with said probes.

16. A machine for drilling elongate cylindrical workpieces of the type having a shank and a head formed on one end thereof comprising a work-supporting dial having a plurality of circumferentially spaced workpiecenesting bores extending therethrough and having a sliding fit with the shank of the workpieces with the head thereof engaging the surface of the reverse side of said dial immediately adjacent said bores; drilling means located on the obverse side of said dial; means for feeding workpieces one at a time to a loading station located on the reverse side of said dial; means for transferring a workpiece from the loading station to a nesting bore in said dial; means for advancing the dial step-bystep to carry the workpieces to a work station; means at said work station for clamping the workpiece against said dial to lock said workpiece against rotation, said lastnamed means including an axially movable member engaging the head of said workpiece to apply pressure thereto solely in a direction parallel to the axis of said workpiece; and means including a plurality of cam faces positioned adjacent said dial for engaging the heads of said workpieces between said stations to maintain said workpieces completely seated in said bores.

17. A drilling machine as defined in claim l, in which there is a head drilling assembly positioned at the reverse side of said dial and adapted to be reciprocated toward and away from a workpiece nested therein, said drilling assembly including a head drilling means and having a self-contained head clamping means adapted to be operated in response to the reciprocation of said assembly, said clamping means cooperating with said dial for engaging between them the top and the underside of the head of the workpiece and includin-g resilient means for producing relative movement between said cooperating parts parallel to the axis of the workpiece to apply yielding gripping pressure to the head solely in a direction parallel to the axis of the yworkpiece to hold the latter against turning in the dial.

18. A machine for drilling elongate cylindrical workpieces having a shank and a head at one end thereof comprising a work-supporting dial having a plurality of arcuately spaced work-nesting apertures extending therethrough and having a sliding fit with the shank of said workpieces; drilling means located at one side of said dial; means for feeding workpieces one at a time to a loading station located at the back side of the dial; means for transferring a workpiece vfrom the loading station longitudinally into a nesting aperture in the dial so that the shank of the workpiece lies in said aperture and the head thereof projects from the back side of the aperture; means for advancing the dial step-by-step to carry the workpieces to a work station and means at said work station for clamping the workpiece against rotation in the nesting aperture, said means consisting solely of cooperating parts engaging between them the top and the i4 underside of the head of the workpiece, and means including resilient means for producing relative movement between said cooperating parts parallel to the axis of the workpiece to apply yielding gripping pressure to the head solely in a direction parallel to the axis of the workpiece to hold the latter against turning in the dial.

19. A machine for drilling elongate cylindrical workpieces having a shank and a head at one end thereof comprising a work-supporting dial having a plurality of arcuately spaced work-nesting apertures extending therethrough and having a sliding fit with the shank of said workpieces; head drilling means located at the back side of the dial; means for feeding workpieces one at a time to a loading station located at the back side of the dial; means for transferring a workpiece from the loading station longitudinally into a nesting aperture in the dia-l so that the shank of the workpiece lies in said aperture and the head thereof projects from the back side of the aperture; means for advancing the dial stepby-step to carry the workpieces to a work station; and means operable at said work station for clamping the workpiece against rotation in the nesting aperture, said clamping means consisting solely of cooperating parts engaging between them the top and the underside of the head of the workpiece, and means including resilient means for producing relative movement between said cooperating parts parallel to the axis of the workpiece to apply yielding gripping pressure to the head solely in a direction parallel to the axis of the workpiece to hold the latter against turning in the dial.

20. The drilling machine as defined in claim 19, wherein the head drilling means are advanced and retracted relative to the workpiece by power-operated means including a cam and follower, and in which said clamping means are operably coupled with said head drilling means for operation thereby as the latter is advanced and retracted relative to the workpiece.

2l. The drilling machine as defined in claim 20, wherein said head drilling means are connected to said power-operated means by an operating slide member, and in which said clamping means are operably connected to said slide for operation thereby.

22. A machine for drilling elongate cylindrical workpieces having a shank and a head at one end thereof comprising a `work-supporting dial having a plurality of arcuately spaced work-nesting apertures extending therethrough and having a sliding fit with the shank of said workpieces; drilling means located at the obverse side of the dial; head drilling means located at the reverse side of the dial; means for feeding workpieces one at a time to a loading station located at the reverse side of the dial; means for transferring a workpiece from the loading station longitudinally into a nesting aperture in the dial so that the shank of the workpiece lies in said aperture and the head thereof projects from the reverse side of the aperture; means for advancing the dial stepby-step to carry the workpieces to a plurality of consecutive work stations; and means at each of said work stations for clamping the workpiece against rotation in the nesting aperture, said means consisting solely of cooperating parts engaging between them the top and the underside of the head of the workpiece, and means including resilient means for producing relative movement between said cooperating parts parallel to the axis of the workpiece to apply yielding gripping pressure to the head solely in the direction parallel to the axis of the workpiece to hold the latter against turning in the dial, the clamping `means at one of said stations being operably connected to said head drilling means for cooperative operation therewith. l

23. The drilling machine as defined in claim 22, wherein the head drilling means are advanced and retracted relative to the workpiece by power-operated means including a cam and follower, and in which the clamping means operably connected to said head drilling means l5 are operated in response to the advancing and retracting movement of the latter.

24. The drilling machine as defined in claim 23, wherein an operating slide connects the power-operated means to said head drilling means and in which the cooperating clamping means are operably connected to said slide for operation thereby.

25. The drilling machine as defined in claim 24, in which said cooperating clamping means includes a clamping member having a rod extending therefrom into sliding engagement with said operating slide and resilient means between said clamping member and said slide for imparting yielding gripping pressure to said member to force the Ilatter into engagement with the head of said workpiece as said head drilling means is advanced.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 571,434 Fergusson Nov. 17, 1896 1,902,762 Comlon Mar. 2l, 1933 10 2,318,856 Hoffman May 11, 1943 2,969,553 Hatherell et al Jan. 31, 1961 

